Mount Vernon — Jamaal T. Bailey, an Assembly staff member, overwhelming won the heavily contested, Democratic Primary for NY State Senate in the 36th District by more than 5,000 votes, Tuesday night. With five candidates vying for the vacant seat in the heavily Democratic area which spans the Northeast Bronx and the City of Mount Vernon to replace Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson, who resigned for a position in the governor’s administration.

In the race for Mount Vernon City Court Judge, Nichelle Johnson defeated challenger Tamika A. Coverdale, Esq., in a Democratic primary by 1,758 votes to retain the seat she was appointed to in April to fill the unexpired term of the Honorable Helen Blackwood, who was elected to Westchester County Court Judge.

New York State Senate (36th District)

Jamaal T. Bailey (the Bronx Democratic Nominee), faced a crowd Democratic ballot that also consisted of Que English, a community activist; Pamela Hamilton-Johnson, an executive director of the Urban Neighborhood group & the candidate endorsed by the Daily News; Edward A. Mulraine, a pastor and Mount Vernon Democratic Nominee; and Alvin Ponder a physician and adjunct college professor. In this heavily Democratic area, the winner usually eases on down the yellow brick road to the General Election, Tuesday, November 8, which more times than not is just a formality.

Bailey also has filed for the Working Families line, while Robert Diamond has the Conservative Party line, Lohud reported.

Bailey had a wide array of influential elected officials endorsements including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, New York City Public Advocate Letitia “Tish” James, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.,Congressman Eliot Engel, Assemblyman and Bronx Democratic County Chair Marcos Crespo, Outgoing State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Mount Vernon City Councilman André Wallace, Assembly members Michael Benedetto, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Mark Gjonaj, Luis Sepulveda and Latoya Joyner.

36th Senate District Democratic unofficial primary results: Election districts reporting: 248 of 258; Jamaal T. Bailey: 8,228 votes, Edward A. Mulraine: 2,377 votes, Pamela A. Hamilton-Johnson: 2,076 votes, Que English: 1,128 votes and Alvin Ponder: 880 votes.

Mount Vernon City Court Judge

In  the other big election in Mount Vernon Judge Nichelle Johnson Muhammad (the Democratic Nominee won to retain the Mount Vernon City Court Judge seat that was previously appointed to her by Mayor Richard Thomas, Tuesday, April 5th with an overwhelming victory over challenger Tamika A. Coverdale, Esq., with 72%. Johnson-Muhammad previously served as Mount Vernon’s corporation counsel from 2012 to 2014. Coverdale has a private law practice in Mount Vernon and has served in several civil roles, including as an anti-bullying advocate and youth mentor in the Mount Vernon school district.

In this heavily Democratic City of Mount Vernon, where Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city by a wide margin and the primary victor is likely to go on to win the general election which more times than not is just a formality. Coverdale doesn’t appear to be running on any other party lines to challenge Johnson-Muhammad in November. The Mount Vernon City Court Judge position is for a 10-year term that pays $173,650 annually.

Mount Vernon city judge Democratic primary results: Election districts reporting: 68 of 74; Nichelle Johnson Muhammad: 2,993 votes (71%) & Tamika A. Coverdale, Esq.: 1,235 votes (29%) according to the Westchester County Board of Elections unofficial tally of election results.